1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to wireless and PSTN telecommunications service menus and, more particularly, to a method and system for directing a user through a menu of options for an advanced telecommunications service.
2. Background
Wireless and PSTN telephone companies (including local exchange carriers (“LECs”)) often offer subscribers a wide variety of advanced telecommunications services. Among the services offered are call forwarding, flexible call forwarding. call waiting, follow-me services, caller identification, and voicemail. Certain services (for example, call waiting) are enabled by the subscriber using standard touch-tone features. Specifically, the subscriber simply enters a feature access code (e.g., “*72”) to enable the service for his calling line. For instance, call forwarding on a home line is often enabled by dialing the feature access code and waiting for a double-burst dial tone from the office switch. The subscriber then dials the directory number of a destination calling line to which the calls should be forwarded. This information is then retained by the network. All subsequent calls are automatically forwarded to the specified destination calling line. When the subscriber desires to turn off the service, he simply dials a second feature access code (e.g., “*73”), which disables the service. This on/off activation provides a clear and simple interface for the subscriber.
The on/off activation of services has several drawbacks, however. First, such activation often inhibits the remote enablement of features for a particular calling line. Feature access codes usually affect only the calling line from which they arc dialed. For example, a subscriber to call forwarding usually cannot enable the service by dialing a feature access code from a line other than the line for which the service was provisioned. Thus, if the service were provisioned on his home line, he could not dial the feature access code from his parents' home to enable the service.
Second, simple on/off activation prevents the flexible use of a service. Many services, including most call forwarding and call waiting services, are extremely inflexible regarding the time and manner in which they are offered. Typically, once the code is dialed, the service is enabled until the subscriber dials a second feature access code to disable the service. The subscriber cannot specify the time for initiating and/or concluding the service. Moreover, the subscriber cannot further configure the service in any fashion to suit his needs.
Third, on/off activation prevents the LEC from offering usage-based billing. Usage-based billing allows a carrier to charge a subscriber for a service based upon the amount of use of that service by the subscriber. Billing usually occurs on a per-minute, per-hour, or per-day basis. With feature access code-enablement, the subscriber simply turns the service on and off. The carrier does not keep track of the subscriber's usage. If the subscriber uses the service infrequently, he cannot justify the overall monthly cost to rent the service. As a result, the carrier would lose a subscriber that it might otherwise have gained if usage-based billing were offered.
To prevent the aforementioned drawbacks, a wireless or PSTN carrier can provide an automated voice response (“AVR”) menu billing system. An AVR menu system relies upon Advanced Intelligent Network (“AIN”) functionality to provide the subscriber with more options and greater flexibility when enabling and configuring a service. These options are provided to the subscriber using pre-recorded messages. When the subscriber dials a special access number (as opposed to a two-digit access code), the subscriber listens to this menu of options. The subscriber may then use her touch-tone telephone (or her own voice) to select options as they are provided. In this manner, specific configurations may be established to provide greater flexibility to the user.
Most AVR menus are created to offer a “tree-like” format for the subscriber. The subscriber begins the menu at the “trunk” of the tree. As he selects specific menu items, he is guided down “branches” of the tree. Each “branch” may then have several “sub-branches”that may be navigated by the subscriber. If the subscriber makes a mistake, he can usually press a button (e.g., “*”) to return to the previous menu or “branch.” The subscriber may repeatedly press this button until he is returned to the desired menu.
Very often, however, navigating complex tree menus can be a very daunting task. If the subscriber has progressed down several sub-branches, he eventually may forget his location within the menu. As a greater number of sub-branches (options) are provided at subsequent levels, this problem can grow exponentially. Ultimately, the subscriber may be forced to give up and re-dial the system. This situation wastes time and causes frustration among subscribers.
In addition, the subscriber may lose focus and forget his original task when dialing the number. For instance, a caller originally may desire to set a wake-up call. When she dials the system, the system may offer her several wake-up call options, guide her down several more layers of the menu, and then offer to take her back to the “main menu”. If the subscriber makes a mistake while setting her wake-up call options, she will be taken back to the main menu where she will be re-offered several options again. If the subscriber has already been taken down numerous sub-menus, she may now be attracted by the offer to retrieve messages from her mailbox. Thus, the subscriber has been routed away from the original “task” of obtaining a wake-up call. This scenario, too, is wasteful and inefficient.
Finally, both consumers and telecommunications companies incur costs for using complex AVR menus. The length of time of an AVR telecommunications service call usually corresponds directly to the complexity of the AVR menu. Since consumers are charged for the length of telephone calls, the costs to the consumers for such calls are likely to increase with complexity. Similarly, service providers have costs associated with the provision of the telecommunications service. The goal of the service provider should be a fast and efficient method for providing telecommunications services through AVR menus.